


Community Gardens

by bonespell



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Legend is Hurt™, Linked Universe, Semi-Graphic Description of Injury, also they’re being chased by a shadowy monster™ that’s HUGE, as in the style of my fics, as per my giftee’s request <3, gift fic for the tropical gift exchange!, i hope you love it!, if you don’t like yucky stuff or are sensitive to blood be careful
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:28:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26170429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bonespell/pseuds/bonespell
Summary: Rows of sharp, blindingly white teeth grin down at him. The monster lifts an arm, and Hyrule prepares to cast Shield, pulling Legend close as he can. He shuts his eyes as the fist comes crashing down, pulling Legend’s body under his own and hoping anything will help.He wants to say sorry. Wants to apologise to Legend, wants to hug him and beg for his forgiveness. Wants Legend to wake up and talk to him, whether he's angry or not. Hyrule wishes he could have saved them, could have done more. Now all he has is malfunctioning magic. He mentally prepares for the blow, burying his face into Legend’s wet hair.
Relationships: Hyrule & Legend (Linked Universe)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 153





	Community Gardens

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dinadinu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dinadinu/gifts).



> this is for Dinadinu for the tropical gift exchange!! i hope the monster was big enough for you (i had to google shadow of the colossus and was like w o a h o k a y sjdjsjd)
> 
> the title is from the song Community Gardens by The Scary Jokes

“Forget it!” Legend hisses, grabbing Hyrule’s unused hand. “We gotta go!”

Legend doesn’t look back. If he looks back, he knows he’d freeze. Instead, he forcefully tugs Hyrule along through the denser forest, hoping that _thing_ will lose them. He listens as trees fall behind them, and Hyrule’s sob catches in his throat.

_Fuck, shit, fuck-_ Legend thinks as a tree falls right behind him. He doesn’t want to die here, and he sure as hell refuses to let _Hyrule_ die here. Hyrule’s fingers finally twine with his, and Legend breathes a small sign of relief. At least he’s present. This would be much harder if he wasn’t.

“Hyrule, this is your world. Where are we? Where’s somewhere we can hide?” Legend demands, perhaps too harshly. More trees crash down as the monster shoves them out of the way by merely making its way after them.

Hyrule doesn’t answer. He sobs again instead. Legend hisses as another branch whips him in the face, and he sees the blood drip off the side of his face. He wipes it with his sleeve as best as possible, and that’s when he spots it.

There’s a rock with an incredibly small opening. Maybe he can fit Hyrule in there and keep running. Get the thing away from him. Legend shoves Hyrule forwards into it, and watches him vanish from view entirely. He hears a stone fall and echo, and takes the risk.

As the monster clears the wall of trees and its foot thunders against the ground so hard that it scatters stones into the entrance. Legend clutches Hyrule close as he can, and feels Hyrule’s fingers curl into his tunic. Legend holds his breath, hoping neither of them will make a noise. That this thing will pass.

For a moment, the cave goes dark, its massive heel blocking out the light. Hyrule whimpers, but Legend doubts it can be heard over the rumbling that _thing_ is making. He runs a hand through Hyrule’s hair. Legend wants to sob too, but with the state Hyrule is already in, it’ll do more harm than good.

When the thing is finally gone, Legend pushes Hyrule away from him by an arm’s length. Hyrule’s eyes are drooping from exhaustion, and he weakly holds his arms out back towards Legend. Legend lets go, and lets Hyrule situate himself in his lap, pressing against his chest. 

Legend doesn’t mind sitting here all night. In this unfamiliar world, the safest place to be is with his back to a wall.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Legend wakes up without the comforting weight against his chest. His eyes fly open as soon as he realises Hyrule is gone from the cave altogether. That weird thing has been after them for a few days now, and it’s massive enough to crush his entire house under its heel. 

What if Hyrule had wandered out and been crushed? What if he had made a sound, or strayed too far from the cave? Legend feels his breathing pick up, and he scrabbles at the rocks in front of him as he tries to steady himself. He’s getting dizzy. Everything feels hot.

Legend manages to push himself to his feet, even though his world is spinning. He stumbles towards the entrance, but catches himself on the wall, breathing heavily. In that moment, Hyrule, holding something in his tunic, slides back into the cave and stands up.

He puts down whatever he’s holding and immediately Legend feels Hyrule’s hand on his arm, leading him over to the pile. Legend recognises that it’s berries and a flask. Legend’s never seen Hyrule be wrong about food, so he assumes it’s safe and sits down.

“Legend, are you alright?” Hyrule asks slowly as he sits next to him. Legend shoves a few berries into his mouth, and leans over, laying his head on Hyrule’s shoulder.

“Don’t vanish again,” Legend says quietly. Maybe usually he’d be more, well, _Legend_ about it, but he… doesn’t feel good. Everything is hot. He just wants to take a nap.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Hyrule is acutely aware of the moment Legend’s weight slumps entirely against him. The berry he was holding rolls out of his hand, and Hyrule turns and puts his hand on Legend’s forehead.

He draws his hand back almost instantly. Legend’s skin is very hot to touch, and Hyrule just now notices how shallow his breathing is. He lays Legend back down, wishing he had any kind of blanket to wrap him up in.

Hyrule props Legend up against his shoulder. He needs Legend to be semi-coherent, because they need to move again. Hyrule knows why that thing was after him. He knows why everything has been happening. First, however, he needs to get Legend on his feet and fed.

Hyrule’s magic has been malfunctioning since he entered his world again, but he places his hand on Legend’s forehead again and uses his healing spell. He gently shakes Legend until he opens his eyes blearily.

“Hey, Legend,” Hyrule says softly. “I need you to eat something. Will you?”

Legend merely grunts in affirmation, but lifts his shaky hand to his mouth nonetheless. Hyrule cups his hand into his own gently, and together they get a few berries into Legend’s mouth, which he chews sedatedly.

Once he’s done this a few more times, he helps Legend drink the water he brought in the flask. He’d had his share out while he was scavenging, so he simply wraps the berries up and puts them in Legend’s bag. He then offers Legend a hand, and wraps his arm around his waist for support.

Legend cries out in pain, and Hyrule pulls his arm back instantly. He gently reaches his arm out and touches the same spot, and Legend flinches away. Hyrule has a sneaking suspicion, based on Legend’s past deeds.

He sits Legend back on the ground. “Put your arms up for me?” He asks, and Legend does so without question. He’s incredibly out of it.

Hyrule gently pulls his tunic and then his armour and undershirt off until he’s bare-chested. He has Legend turn around, and Hyrule can’t help the horrified gasp that comes out of him. 

From shoulder to hip, Legend’s back is slashed open. He doesn’t know when it happened, but the injury is crusted in dried blood and… pus. It’s _disgustingly_ infected, pink around the edges and yellow in the scab. It’s inflamed and looks horribly painful. 

He can’t believe Legend didn’t say anything… he had to have felt it…

Hyrule doesn’t have any more healing magic, but he definitely sees why Legend is feverish. He pulls a red potion and bandages out of his bag, noting it’s his last red potion. He makes Legend take it, who whines, and has him lift his arms again. Hyrule uses the remaining water to wipe off some of the gunk, then bandages the wound."

He digs through Legend’s bag and slips him into a spare undershirt, then packs his bloody outfit from before into it. He helps Legend up again, being careful to avoid the wound. Legend already looks drowsy.

As much as he’s loathe to admit it, Hyrule thinks they should wait a little longer to leave this cave.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Hyrule sits up in the dark because he can’t breathe.

After a moment of assessment, and flapping his hands, he realises the cave is flooding.

Hyrule pulls Legend up out of the water, grabs their stuff, and drags him out of the cave into the moonlight. Legend’s lips are blue and he’s entirely limp. Not breathing. Still feverish.

Hyrule positions himself, and slams his hands down into Legend’s chest. He wants to sob, but won’t. He has to be strong. He has to be there for Legend. He… he’s grown too soft and lax in his time with the others.

Legend coughs weakly, and Hyrule turns him on his side. Legend makes grabby hands towards him when he’s done coughing, and Hyrule pulls him into a hug.

Legend passes out halfway through the hug, and Hyrule doesn’t like the sounds the woods are making. He puts Legend on his back, but immediately he pitches backwards. Hyrule looks at his own bag for ideas, and says a silent apology to Legend.

He pulls Legend’s arms around his shoulders and ties them together so that Legend physically cannot fall. It’s something clever he’d seen used around before, and figured it would work. He hopes it doesn’t hurt Legend, but he’s out of options for the moment.

Hyrule sets off into the rain, praying his knowledge of his own land is enough to keep them both safe.

As they walk, he feels Legend shiver. Hyrule’s seen it before - sometimes their lungs fill back up. They get sick and cold. And with Legend already sick and cold, Hyrule isn’t sure if he’ll survive another incident.

The damage from that shadowy monster is abundant. Everywhere he looks trees are down and rocks are crushed. Remains of animals who couldn’t escape in time are smeared in the tall grass. Hyrule wants to be furious. This monster, who’s ruining his land, has his friend on his deathbed.

But Hyrule doesn’t have the time or energy to be furious. Hylia, he just wants to find the others. Wants to collapse in someone else’s arms and let them carry him. He knows he’s been getting weaker and more dependent, but _goddess_ if he gives a damn in this moment.

He has to be strong for Legend. He’ll keep telling himself that until it no longer applies.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Hyrule’s been walking for hours. 

He can feel his feet blistering, and the sun has come out. He can feel the heat on his cheeks, and the sunburn he’s bound to get. Hopefully it’ll warm Legend up. The hero has done nothing in the last while besides shift a few times and let out a pained whimper maybe twice.

Saying Hyrule’s concerned is an understatement. He would have thought Legend would have woken up by now; it’s already late afternoon. He has to find a safe campsite soon. Hyrule’s feeling sort of dehydrated and tired anyways.

After a few more minutes of walking, Hyrule finds a small canopy in a clearing of trees. He knows he can’t make a fire, for fear of the monster seeing the smoke, so he settles to trying to hug the warmth back into Legend. The canopy is strangely sheltered. If the monster really has passed through here, it doesn’t show. Hyrule gently lowers Legend down completely, rubbing his wrists gently against the red marks that had formed on them.

Legend gives a little pained breath, and curls into the touch. His skin is still hot, and his breathing is shallow. He hasn’t woken up since, and Hyrule props him up gingerly to check on the wound.

It doesn’t look any better either. He gently uses one of his clean undershirts as a rag to wipe away the little bit of blood that’s oozed from it during the day. He shakes Legend again to try and wake him up for something to eat, but Legend doesn’t stir.

Instead, Hyrule pours the cool water from the flask onto the shirt, and lays it across Legend’s forehead to try and cool him down. Hyrule knows he can’t sleep tonight, out in the open. He has to stay awake, to make sure Legend is safe. He’s so tired, but he pinches his arm until he breaks skin to try and keep the sleep away.

For hours he sits there, Legend leaning against him, watching as clouds slowly cover the moon. He’s sort of zoned out when he lets out a sigh, well past midnight. He turns his head to crack his neck and freezes.

From the woods he sees is a massive eye, staring at him. It’s almost glowing in the darkness, the whites brighter than anything Hyrule’s ever seen. The pupil is a dark shade of maroon, the gaze both enrapturing and ice cold. Then the woods shift.

Hyrule grabs their bags and pulls Legend up. He has no time to secure him on. He just throws him over his shoulder and hopes it won’t aggravate his wound. Hyrule makes a dead break for it as a massive hand extends towards them. He’s betting his and Legend’s life on the fact that he knows these woods better than anyone else.

Hyrule takes a sharp turn, and in that moment, the rain starts pouring. Hyrule thanks the goddess, or whoever may be listening. The monster’s view is obstructed, unfocused on them for the time being. Hyrule just has to keep running. Get them away. He traps Legend’s hands under his chin as he runs, in an attempt to keep him secure and in place.

Hyrule skids around a tree, then between two large rocks. He’s running and running and running and-

Hyrule wants to sob as he sees the open expanse of field before him. This wasn’t here last time he was in his world. Admittedly, it’d been a while, but this area, formerly a forest, was a wasteland now.

In his moment of hesitation, the ground thumps from behind him. Hyrule sprints forward again, knowing his only chance is the woods on the other side of the field. 

Hyrule almost screams as he feels his ankle snap. His foot has slipped into a crevice, and Hyrule collapses into the mud. He and Legend both slide a few feet in the mud by sheer momentum. Hyrule’s ankle is limp, turned so far he knows it’s broken. He forgets his bag, grabbing Legend and yanking him along while crawling across the ground.

He hadn’t seen the whole monster before now. It’s dark, enormous, and looming over them.. The toes of the thing are taller than Hyrule by almost his entire height doubled. Its eyes are bright, glowing in the dimness of the night. To his horror, the mouth opens.

Rows of sharp, blindingly white teeth grin down at him. The monster lifts an arm, and Hyrule prepares to cast Shield, pulling Legend close as he can. He shuts his eyes as the fist comes crashing down, pulling Legend’s body under his own and hoping anything will help.

He wants to say sorry. Wants to apologise to Legend, wants to hug him and beg for his forgiveness. Wants Legend to wake up and talk to him, whether he's angry or not. Hyrule wishes he could have saved them, could have done more. Now all he has is malfunctioning magic. He mentally prepares for the blow, burying his face into Legend’s wet hair.

The blow never comes. Instead, everything flashes a bright orange. Hyrule opens his eyes just in time to see Wild, hair slicked flat from the rain, standing over them, shield raised to the sky. His expression is fierce; the kind of angry he’s seen from Wild only once. Hyrule wants to grovel at his feet and sob.

The fist comes down again, shielded by the the unexplainable orange barrier around them. What Hyrule swears is a _ghost_ comes out of nowhere to block the fist. The monster stumbles back, and Hyrule sees Warriors and Twilight sprint past them in the rain.

Their hookshots fasten into the monster’s wrists, which it fights against with a cry. The both of them hold their ground, extraordinarily, and pull it off balance. Wind appears with a whoop, sliding across the mud on the back of a shield. He uses his distance to anchor his grappling hook in the monster’s ankle and zooms around it, wrapping up its legs as it stumbles.

Hyrule is shocked by their precision and compatibility in the fight despite not having a plan. He watches them shout orders over the rain and the keening of the gigantic beast; they work like a well-oiled machine.

Something scoops Legend up, off of Hyrule’s legs. He grasps at his wrist, but realises it’s Time lifting the hero up and away from him. Wild offers him a hand to help get him off the ground.

Hyrule is limping away, with Wild’s help, when he hears a shout. He watches Twilight abandon his clawshots to race to Warriors and yank him out of the way. The monster turns, throwing Wind and Sky into eachother ,sending them skidding across the field. Twilight, unaware, props Warriors up against his chest and shakes him. Hyrule can see, just barely, the red dripping from the corners of his mouth.

“Twi!” Wild screams, trying to alert him to the monster bearing down on him. Wild gently sets Hyrule down and races across the field; pelting the side of the giant with bombs. Twilight hasn’t heard him yet, and the lump in Hyrule’s gut grows.

The pressure builds up behind his eyes. Everything he’s felt over the last few days bubbles up to the surface like a boiling pot. Hyrule no longer feels the pain of his ankle. He stands up, flexing his fingers.

“Hyrule!” Time shouts back to him as the wind picks up. The rain begins pounding harder, and thunder rolls across the plain.

Hyrule feels it light him up from the inside. His magic has bubbled back from the surface. Electricity arcs down his bracers, weaves between his fingertips. His hair floats. Hyrule feels like a deity. In this moment, nothing can challenge him.

He can see that the other Links see it too. The thing is still standing over Warriors and Twilight, and Wild is still running, but Time is staring at him. So are Wind and Sky. Four, who’d gone over to help Wind and Sky up and protect them, has thrown his sword down.

Everything metal and everything not crackles with electricity. It’s visible through the air. Hyrule walks towards the monster, which has turned to him. It looks down at him, grinning through its ugly, crooked teeth. As it reaches down for him, Hyrule widens his stance, and lifts his arm up to the sky.

The sky crackles yellow, the whole world lighting up. The other Links, hair standing on end, scramble away from him. Then, grasping his wrist with his other hand, Hyrule slams his hand down.

The world goes white as the biggest strike of lightning Hyrule’s ever seen hits the monster. It screams and falls backwards, away from him, crushing the edge of the forest far behind him. It’s massive and charred, and Hyrule stands, breathing heavily, as his magic settles inside of him as it normally does.

The other Links were blown backwards, head over heels by the force, but everyone seems okay. They’re all here. They’re all safe. Legend is safe. Hyrule realises _he’s_ safe too.

All of the pain returns suddenly and instantly as the stench of burning flesh fills his nose. Hyrule can’t keep himself steady. He pitches backwards, and doesn’t feel it when he hits the ground.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Hyrule wakes up to the bright light on his face. He’s warm and dry and realises immediately this is not his world. There’s nowhere safe like this in his world.

Hyrule’s eyes snap open, and he sits straight up. His face feels weirdly stiff. He moves the corner of his mouth a little bit. He looks around the room, taking it all in.A horseshoe above the door, a comfortable double bed.. a quilt in blue and green… Hyrule knows _exactly_ where he is.

He turns to the only place he hasn’t looked, towards the window. Sure enough, a woman with fiery red hair and the kindest smile he’s ever known is sitting at the window, chatting quietly with Legend, who’s-

Hyrule can’t stop the noise that comes out of his throat. Legend turns immediately, and Malon ties off the new bandage she was helping him replace. Legend stands up, and takes a slow step towards Hyrule, who shoves off his covers and scoots as best he can with his splinted ankle.

Legend scoops him up into a hug, and Hyrule hears Malon chide something about his injury as they turn slowly around the room. Legend presses his nose into Hyrule’s hair.

“‘Rule, I’m so sorry, I was supposed to protect you, but I left it all to you,” Legend whispers quickly into his hair, like he has too many words and is running out of time. “I’m supposed to be strong, I-”

“No, no,” Hyrule responded, wrapping his arms tighter around Legend’s shoulders. “No, it was my world, it was my job, I-”

Hyrule hears Malon sigh. “Now, boys, if any of the others heard you sayin’ all that nonsense, they’d smack ya right upside your thick noggins! Y’all know full well you don’t have to be brave. Goddess, the amount of times I’ve delivered this speech to Link…”

Malon waits until Legend places Hyrule back on the bed, and then says, “Legend, dear, will you go and fetch the rest of the boys? Tell them he’s awake?”

“Yes ma’am,” Legend says, shooting both Hyrule and Malon one more smile before leaving the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

Malon takes a seat next to Hyrule, who looks away. After a moment of silence, she says, “Honey, this wasn’t your fault. You can’t control your world. You’re a kid - a powerful one, absolutely - but a kid nonetheless.”

“It was my world, Miss Malon. I should have been able to protect him, protect them all…”

“And to my knowledge, you did! You did the magic that brought that whole colossus down, didn’tcha?” She smiles at him. “You put yourself in a coma for it, kiddo. You were out for two weeks.”

Hyrule reaches up to his cheek and ear, feeling a thick bandage. “What’s this?”

“You burned yourself with that lightning real good, darlin’. Lightning feathers over the whole left side of your face. You an’ Wild sorta match now, y’know?”

Hyrule smiles halfheartedly. He… still feels off.

“Aw, honey,” Malon says, opening her arms. “Come here, won’tcha?” 

Hyrule pitches forward, collapsing into her arms. Her blouse is soft, and her hugs have a warm feeling to them that Hyrule can only describe as _motherly_. To be fair, she is his only reference on that. He’s never had a mother before. After this adventure, he never will again.

“You boys oughta learn you don’t gotta be strong all the time. You can lean on eachother, ya’know? Y’all are so silly sometimes..” Malon says, pressing a kiss to Hyrule’s forehead. Hyrule finally breaks.

His shoulders start to shake, and he begins to sob. Malon shushes him gently, telling him he’ll be okay and he’s alright and that crying is good for him. She runs her hands through his hair and Hyrule cries harder. 

He wonders if this is what happens when you have a mom. Do they hug you close when you’re upset? He’s heard that’s what happens. He wants to tell Malon he thinks she’d be a wonderful mother, but he can’t get his throat to form words.

Malon hugs him tighter, and he keeps sobbing. Hyrule truly can’t remember the last time he cried like this. He was always busy, on the move. But now, in the arms of the only mother figure he’ll ever have, he lets his mask shatter.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> please comment!! i beg for your validation yes i do


End file.
